24 Sep 2020Mont Marte

There’s something satisfying about creamy paint strokes and thick textures. If that rings true for you then you’re going to love this roundup. From 3D flowers to mesmerising patterns, we’ve pulled together a list of our top textured art picks.

1. Impasto petals
Floral patterns on a canvas made with impasto.

Image: Two Mainstream Artists

Mixing impasto with your acrylic paints is a great way to build texture and create eye-catching effects. That’s how Two Mainstream Artists create these stunning floral décor pieces.

2. Brushstrokes with figures
Small figurines on canvas to look like they're skiiing.

Image: Golsa Golchini

We love the way Golsa Golchini brings brush strokes to life with miniature figures. A blue acrylic paint stroke can become waves, while smears of white might become a ski slope. Try it out for yourself and let your imagination run wild.

3. Polka dots
Polka dot pattern using various dots of textured paint.

Image: Ann Marie Coolick

Ann Marie Coolick uses heavy bodied acrylic paint straight out of the tube to create her creamy, colourful paintings. And you can too! Grab a palette knife and put your own spin on this fun idea.

4. 3D botanical paintings
3D botanical painting of a flower.

Image: Joshua Davison

Joshua Davison’s mesmerising botanical paintings are a real treat for the eyes. He uses a mix of oil and acrylic paint to create a 3D effect by carefully building up layers with a palette knife.

5. Leonid Afremov inspired art
A Leonid Afremov inspired artwork.

We couldn’t talk about textured art ideas without mentioning Leonid Afremov. His vibrant paintings often feature urban scenes created with thick palette knife strokes. Check out our Afremov-inspired video tutorial if you want to learn how to create your own.

6. Abstract portraits
A heavily textured, abstract portrait.

Image credit: Salman Khoshroo

Sitting somewhere between sculpture and painting, these satisfying portraits are created by Salman Khoshroo using a palette knife and oil paints. He starts with a mound of paint before slowly working it into a stunning portrait.

7. Textural landscapes
An abstract cityscape.

Image: Anastasia Trusova

Whether it’s a city skyline or a countryside view, landscapes are an endless source of inspiration. If you’d like some pointers on how to create your own textural landscape, check out our step-by-step tutorial.

8. Francoise Nielly inspired portrait
A Francoise Nielly inspired portrait.


Francoise Nielly creates lively portraits with expressive palette knife strokes and oil paints. To see this style of painting in action and get some helpful tips, watch our Nielly inspired video tutorial.

9. Sgraffito paintings
Four various frames of Sgraffito paintings.

Image: Joseph Villanueva

Have you heard of sgraffito painting? To create this effect, you scratch through a layer of paint to reveal a different colour underneath. You can use anything you have nearby including the end of your paint brush, a pencil or an old pen that’s out of ink.

10. Palette knife patterns
Hand holding a canvas with textured flowers on it, to cover the face.


Image: Tat Georgieva

Tat Georgieva is a self-confessed texture addict with a love for bright colours and mesmerising patterns. Her paintings are created by starting from the centre and working her way out with a palette knife and heavy bodied acrylics.

Do you have a textured painting idea you’d like to share with us? Feel free to tag us on Instagram or Facebook so we can check it out!